UConn women's schedule typically stocked with powerhouses

Rich Elliott

Updated 12:44 am, Thursday, August 29, 2013

The UConn women's basketball team will begin play in the American Athletic Conference in the 2013-14 season. But the quality of the 31-game regular-season schedule has not changed as it is again loaded with a number of formidable non-conference opponents.

The Huskies will face Stanford, Maryland and Penn State in a span of seven days in November in their quest for an NCAA-record ninth national championship. Two meetings with Louisville and single games with Ohio State (Hall of Fame Women's Challenge), Duke (Jimmy V Classic), California (Maggie Dixon Classic) and Baylor further highlight the schedule that was released Wednesday.

UConn, which will have 10 games televised on the ESPN family of networks and three on CBS Sports Network, will open the season by hosting Hartford Nov. 9. The Huskies will open play in the AAC against Cincinnati on Dec. 29.

Sites for home games and the remaining start times will be announced at a later date.

Here is an inside look at the schedule:

REVENGE IN MIND?: The Huskies will host Stanford and All-American Chiney Ogwumike Nov. 11. UConn blasted the then-No. 1 ranked Cardinal 61-35 at Maples Pavilion last season, holding them to team single-game records of 19.6 percent shooting from the field and 11 made field goals. It was Stanford's first loss at home by at least 20 points since an 81-59 loss to USC on Jan. 25, 1986. Stanford scored less than 40 points in a game for the first time since a 72-32 loss to Missouri Jan. 2, 1984.

NEW BEGINNING: When the Huskies travel to Baylor Jan. 13, the Lady Bears will look dramatically different than they did the past couple of years when they defeated UConn. All-American Brittney Griner is gone. So are Brooklyn Pope, Jordan Madden, Destiny Williams and Kimetria Hayden. This is All-American Odyssey Sims' team now.

ONE AND DONE: The Huskies defeated Louisville 93-60 in the NCAA tournament final in New Orleans in April. They will meet in a home-and-home series this season Feb. 9 in Connecticut and March 3 in Louisville in the regular-season finale. The Cardinals return their entire starting lineup, including their top four scorers (Shoni Schimmel, Sara Hammond, Antonita Slaughter and Bria Smith), and will be UConn's toughest opponent in the AAC before moving on to the ACC next season.

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW?: UConn and Duke represent arguably the top two teams in the country entering the season and will meet at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Dec. 17 as part of the Jimmy V Classic. The Huskies have won the past six games in the series by an average of 29.3 points. But the Blue Devils return their top six players, led by Elizabeth Williams, Tricia Liston, Chelsea Gray, Haley Peters and Alexis Jones.

FAREWELL?: The Huskies and Rutgers were bitter rivals for a number of years in the Big East. The series has been increasingly one-sided of late with UConn winning 10 straight games by an average of 20.6 points. With the Scarlet Knights heading to the Big Ten next season, these could be the final meetings ever between the teams when they collide at the Rutgers Athletic Center on Jan. 19 and in Connecticut on March 1.